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Fnniej-Xdhxqiqcgbvezrcd Copy 2
YOUR NOTES
IGCSE Physics CIE
CONTENTS
1.8.1 Energy from the Sun
1.8.2 Energy from Fuels
1.8.3 Energy from Water
1.8.4 Geothermal Energy
1.8.5 Nuclear Fusion
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Disadvantages
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Solar farms need to be large scale to produce large amounts of electricity YOUR NOTES
This is expensive to set up
People often don't like the appearance of large solar farms, this is known as visual
pollution
In many places on Earth sunlight is not a reliable energy resource (there are not enough
sunshine-hours to justify the set-up costs)
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Disadvantages
Solar furnaces need to be large scale to produce high temperatures
Energy is still needed to heat water to a higher temperature in domestic households
In many places on Earth sunlight is not a reliable energy resource (the sun doesn't shine
regularly enough to justify the set-up costs)
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Transport
The majority of vehicles in the world are powered by petroleum products such as petrol,
diesel and kerosene
These resources all originate from crude oil, which is a fossil fuel
A growing number of vehicles are now being powered by electricity
The advantage of this is that while the vehicle is being driven, it produces zero carbon
emissions
The disadvantage is that when the vehicle is being charged, it is connected to the
National Grid, which currently uses a combination of renewable and non-renewable
energy sources
Electricity Generation
Fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are used to produce energy on-demand when energy is
needed
This is done by burning the materials when the energy is required
When coal is burned, energy is released from its chemical store
This is used to boil water creating steam
Steam is forced around the system and this turns a turbine
The turbine turns coils in a magnetic field in the generator
This generates electricity
The electricity is transferred through a step-up transformer and is carried out of the system
by electrical lines
The steam within the turbine will cool and condense and then be pumped back into the
boiler to repeat the process
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YOUR NOTES
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YOUR NOTES
Heating
Most homes in cold countries are fitted with central heating systems
These utilise natural gas in order to heat up water which can be pumped around
radiators throughout the home
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Plants take in carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, but carbon dioxide is released back
into the atmosphere when biofuels are burned
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Nuclear Fission: when a large nucleus is broken into two smaller nuclei energy is released
Nuclear power stations use fission reactions to heat water, to turn turbines to generate
electricity
Advantages
No pollution released into atmosphere
Nuclear reactors are perfectly safe as long as they are functioning properly
Stringent checks must be routinely carried out and rigorous safety procedures
followed
Nuclear power stations can generate electricity reliably on a large scale which is
available as needed
Disadvantages
Uranium ore found in the ground is used for fission reactions and since there is a finite
supply
Nuclear power is a non-renewable resource
Nuclear fuels produce radioactive waste
Radioactive waste needs to be stored for thousands of years
Safe ways of storing radioactive waste is expensive
If an accident occurs at a nuclear reactor, radioactive waste can leak out and spread
over large areas
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Tidal Barrage
Advantages
No pollution
Reliable and can produce a large amount of electricity at short notice
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Hydroelectric Dams
When water is stored above ground level it has energy in its gravitational potential store
This energy can be transferred to kinetic energy if the water is allowed to flow down the
slope
Flowing water turns the turbine to generate electricity
A hydroelectric dam transfers energy from the gravitational potential energy store of the
water to its kinetic energy store mechanically to generate electricity
Advantages
Can respond to demand so is reliable and available
Can generate large scale amounts of electricity
Disadvantages
Need to flood valleys to build which destroys habitats, towns and villages
The pumping systems can release large amounts of greenhouse gases
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Cold water is heated by the rocks and returned as hot water or steam which can be used to
generate electricity
Advantages
Renewable resource
Reliable source of energy
Geothermal power stations are usually small compared to nuclear or fossil fuel power
stations
Disadvantages
Few suitable locations on Earth so small scale production of electricity
Can result in the release of greenhouse gases from underground
Expensive to build
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Fusion is the process in which small nuclei, such as hydrogen, are fused together to form
larger nuclei releasing energy in the process
It is theoretically possible to produce a fusion reactor that could be used to generate
electricity
This technology could potentially solve the world's energy crisis
Fusion requires extremely high temperatures, like in the centre of a star
Scientists are currently researching how to sustain a fusion reaction at lower temperatures
International research projects funded by some of the world's largest businesses are
making progress with some promising results
Currently, the fusion reactions require nearly as much energy as they release, but progress
is being made toward net energy production
If they succeed, virtually limitless amounts of energy could be produced, with large-
scale, carbon-free electricity generation
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